A new aircraft project being developed by Brazilian company Embraer, and in which South Africa's Denel Saab Aerostructures is interested in becoming a risk-sharing partner, has been officially launched in Rio de Janeiro. Embraer has signed a contract with the Brazilian Air Force (abbreviated to FAB in Portuguese) at the recent Latin America Aero and Defence show 2009 for the development and production of the KC-390 (previously known as the C-390) military transport and tanker aircraft. The signing ceremony was attended by Brazil's Defence Minister.

Embraer CEO Frederico Fleury Curado stated that "the launch of the KC-390 programme represents a new stage in the history of the strategic partnership between the Brazilian Air Force and Embraer. We believe that the development of the KC-390 will result in a highly efficient product for the FAB for use in its transport and refuelling missions and will become another very successful export platform for the company and the country."

Many details of the contract, including the number of aircraft ordered, have not been released, but it is believed that the FAB plans to buy 23 of the new aircraft. What is known, is that the programme is expected to cost some three billion Brazilian reais (roughly R12-billion) and will involve the construction of two prototypes. Also, the KC-390 is expected to enter service in 2015, and that the participation of other countries in this programme will be jointly evaluated by Embraer and the FAB.

In February, Denel Saab Aerostructures (DSA) CEO Lana Kinley told Engineering News Online that "we are very interested in having Embraer as a customer, and in being a risk-sharing partner on the C-390". DSA sister company Denel Dynamics is already involved in a partnership with the FAB to develop the A-Darter air-to-air missile.

If DSA does join in Embraer's new aircraft programme, the South African company is expected to benefit from its experiences in designing, developing and manufacturing composite aerostructures for Europe's troubled A400M military transport aircraft programme.

Colombia is also known to be interested in participating in the KC-390 programme.

In the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation designation system, which Brazil also uses, the prefix letter C indicates a transport aircraft while K indicates a tanker aircraft (the prefix T is used for training aircraft). Thus, the prefix KC shows that the new aaircraft is designed to operate as both a transport and an air-to-air refuelling tanker aircraft. It will also be able to refuel aircraft on the ground and receive fuel in flight itself. It will additionally be able to carry out medical evacuation missions.

The KC-390 will employ a fly-by-wire flight control system and will be powered by two turbofan engines. It will have an internal fuselage width of 3,2 m. It will be able to carry up to 80 troops and it will have a maximum payload of some 19 t. (In comparison, the Airbus A400M, in which DSA is a risk-sharing partner, has an internal fuselage width of 4 m and a maximum payload of 37 t). The KC-390 will be able to fly into and out of short and semi-prepared airstrips.

Embraer hopes that the KC-390 will win some of the market to replace first-generation Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transports, and other aircraft in the same category, aged 25 or more years. There are 695 such aircraft currently being operated by 77 countries - excluding the US, Russia and the Ukraine. The KC-390's main rival will be Lockheed Martin's new-generation C-130J Hercules.